Glass run guide for vehicle windows



Jan. 30, 1951 |-:.l s. HUNT 2,539,539

GLASS RUN GUIDE FOR VEHICLE WINDOWS Filed June l2. 1947 INVENTOR. [afwzz S Hvnf.

Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GLASS RUN vGUIDE FOR VEHIGLEWINDOWS Edwin S. Hunt, Detroit, Mich..

Application une 12, 1947, SerialNo. l754,128

7 Claims:

This invention relates to glass run guides for doors and particularly to a replaceable glass run 'guide which may be attached to the door through an aperture provided in the inner'panelthereof without'gmarring or cutting the door in any manner;

In constructingV automobile doors', glass run guides are provided forthe Window glass along the forward topv and rearedges off the door above the belt line at the window opening'. Separate glassY run guidesv are provided within the inner and outer panels below the'` belt' line aligned With the run guidesl atv the opening: It was found through use that the support for the glass run guide belov.r the belt line within the door would break from its support, preventing the operation of the Window. Especially is this true of doors onftiucks which receivesevere usage and abuse. Considerable time and expense were required heretofore to repair the-door andV secure a glass run guide therein.

The present invention pertains to a glass run guide and supports therefor so constructed that they may be mounted through theopening in the inner door panel provided for the installaf tion of the Window regulator. Brackets are securedv on the glass run guide which accurately locate the glass run -guide in continuation of that provided above the belt line. The, brackets engage theV innerwall of the inner door panel through which bolts are placedfor securing'the brackets in, position.

Accordingly; the main objects of the invention are: toprovide a glassl run guide havingasuit'- able positioning-bracketvvhich locates the guide in 'continuation of that at the Window opening; to provide a channel element mounted on a pair of supporting brackets which are shaped lto position the channel element in continuation of the glass guideY at the Window and Which eninventionA will be specically pointed outI or will becomel apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, tothe following description taken in conjunction.L with theaccompanying drawing; vitherein: v

- :figured-1..; is: a;. broken View; ini elevation of; 'a

, 2 Y door having a glassrun guidev attachedlv thereto embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken perspective view of." the glassy run guide illustratedin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View ofA the structure illustrated in Fig. l, taken on the line 3.-3 thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2', with the felt` for the glass run guide in position.

In the; figures,v a vehicleidoor I0 is illustrated, comprising an inner panel I I and an outer panel I2 of'v conventional form` As illustrated inFigz 3,.the inner panel forms the rail I3 and flange I4 over which the outer panel I2 is reversely bent and. securedy in position. An inner reinforcing channel I5' may be secured on the inner face. of the rail portion I3- ofthe door to provide additionalY strength thereto. It is; to this rail that the' glass run. guide below the window opening isV secured byy suitable brackets which align it withthe glass guide I 6 provided about the Windowv opening.

The innerpanel I'I of the doorl of theivehicle is provided with a central opening I1 through which the glass runA guide isr inserted between the doorpanels. When thel glassY run guide below'the Window opening breaks from itsV support, it may be removed through; the opening I'I and the supports maybe removed from the' reinforcing channel element I5 or attened thereonand the `glass runguide unit I8 may be installed in position in alignment with the glass run guide I6 at. the window opening,

The unit' I8 embodies; a channel element, I9 having suitabley reinforcing ribs 2i, which are herein illustrated in angular relationY to each other tov provide strength. A pair ofv brackets 22 and 23=is welded or otherwise secured to one face of the channel element I9 near the top and bottom thereof. It is to be understood that a single Wider bracket may be substituted for-'the pair of brackets. Theportion 24 of thelbracket 22 welded to the side of the element I9 is flanged outwardly at4 25 on the end and is formed in sloping. relation-,to the vlateral dimension ofgthe bracket. As will be notedy in Fig. '1, the.:- rein',- .forcingV channel element t5 slopes toward the window opening at 26 and the iiange 2,4 is so positioned as to abut thev channel portionv and position the upper end of the channel element I9: in alignment with the glass guide I6. i

The-portion 2i ofthe bracketZL seenredto the wall oi`.the-;e1ementz I a nasa flange 28 :on theend thereof Whichabuts; th: Webster. the channel inforcing element I5, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The flanges and 28 accurately position the channel element from the rail of the door. The opposite end of the portions 24 and 2'I of the brackets 22 and 23 is offset outwardly at 29 to have the portions 3| and 32 engage the inner surface of the inner panel II, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

A clamp is applied to the panel adjacent to the opening I'I and to the bracket 23, and holes are drilled through the inner panel II and through the portion 32 of the bracket. Bolts 33 are inserted in the holes in the panel I I and the portion 32 of the bracket upon which nuts are screwed to clamp the bracket to the panel II.

Thereafter, holes are drilled through the inner panel II and the upper bracket 22 after a bar has been inserted at the window opening downwardly between the inner and outer panels for holding the portion 3i of the bracket 22 against the inner panel I I. Similar bolts 33 are then installed through the drilled holes in the inner panel II and bracket portion 3|, and the top bracket is thereby firmly secured in position.

Before installation, a glass run felt 3A is secured to the inner surface of the sides and web portions of the channel element I9 by the application of a suitable adhesive and also by the use of a hook which is provided in the felt material 34 and which registers in a notch 36 in the top edge of the web of the channel element I9, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The hook 35 assists the adhesive material in preventing the felt Strips 34 from loosening through the downward movement of the window glass.

The channel unit thus provided is rugged in construction, easily installed, and provides a glass run guide below the window opening which is much stronger than the one originally provided. The installation of the unit is made through an opening provided in the inner panel of the door, thereby eliminating the necessity of cutting holes in the inner panel and patching up the holes which consumes considerable time and increases the cost of installation. It is to be understood that in place of the two spaced brackets, a single bracket of substantial length could be substituted therefor and still fall within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A channel element for replacing a channel originally provided in a Vehicle door for receiving and guiding a window glass below the window opening therein, said door having an outer and inner panel spaced by a peripheral rail, including an element formed in channel shape having a web and two side portions, a pair of vertically spaced brackets secured to said element and projecting laterally therebeyond, the projecting ends on one side being dimensioned to accurately locate the channel below the window opening in spaced relation to the door rail, the projecting ends on the opposite side being engageable with the inner panel `in position to be bolted thereto.

2. A channel element for replacing a channel originally provided in a vehicle door for receiving and guiding a window glass below the window opening therein, said door having an outer and -inner panel spaced by a peripheral rail, including an element formed in channel shape having a web and two side portions, a pair of vertically spaced brackets secured to said element and projecting laterally therebeyond, the projecting ends on-one side being dimensioned to accurately locate .the channel below the Window openlngin spaced relation to the door rail, the projecting ends on the opposite side being engageable with the inner panel in position to be bolted thereto, and a felt material secured to the inner faces of the channel element.

3. A channel element for replacing a channel originally provided in a vehicle door for receiving and guiding a window glass below the window opening therein, said door having an outer and inner panel spaced by a peripheral rail, including an element formed in channel shape having a web and two side portions, a pair of vertically spaced brackets secured to said element and projecting laterally therebeyond, the projecting ends on one side being dimensioned to accurately locate the channel below the window opening in spaced relation to the door rail, the projecting ends on the opposite side being engageable with the inner panel in position to be bolted thereto, the projecting ends for locating the channel element being flanged laterally to provide width thereto.

4. A replaceable glass run guide channel for a door having an outer panel and an inner panel provided with an opening having a glass run guide portion, including a channel member having a web and two side portions, at least one bracket secured to one side wall of the channel member and extending forwardly and rearwardly beyond the edges thereof, the forwardly extending portion being flanged laterally and positioned for accurately locating the channel element with reference to the run guide portion of the door opening and the opposite portion being formed to engage the inner surface of the inner door panel to which it may be secured, the assembly being so formed as to be insertable between the inner and outer door panels through the opening provided in the inner panel.

5. A replaceable glass run guide unit for a door below the window opening thereof including, in combination, a channel member having a narrow web and extended side portions, a pair of brackets secured to one wall of the channel member projecting beyond the web portion and the open channel edge, the portions projecting beyond the web portion being of different length and ilanged laterally to mate with door rail portions for accurately locating the channel with relation to the guide run channel at the window opening of the door, the portions of the brackets extending beyond the open end of the channel being formed to engage the inner surface of the door to which it may be secured.

6. A replaceable glass run guide unit for a door below the window opening thereof including, in combination, a channel member having a narrow web and extended side portions, a pair of brackets secured to one wall of the channel member projecting beyond the web portion and the open channel edge, the portions projecting beyond the web portion being of different length and ilanged laterally to mate with door rail portions for accurately locating the channel with relation to the guide run channel at the window opening of the door, the portions of the brackets extending beyond the open end of the channel being formed to engage the inner surface of the door to which it may be secured, and a channel-shaped buiiing member secured on the inner faces of the web and side portions of the channel member. y

7.*A replaceable glass run guide unit for a door below' the window opening lthereof including, in combination, a channel member having a narrow web and extended side portions, a pair of brackets secured to one wall of the channel member projecting beyond the web portion and the open channel edge, the portions projecting beyond the web portion being of different length and anged laterally to mate with door rail portions for accurately locating the channel with relation to the guide run channel at the window opening of the door, the portions of the brackets extending beyond the open end of the channel being formed to engage the inner surface of the door to which it may be secured, the side portions of the channel member having reinforcing means thereon to provide strength, and `projecting portions engaged by the brackets to "which they are welded or otherwise secured. EDWIN S. HUNT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Name Date Roethel Mar. 25, 1941 Number 

